A retrospective
The path that lead us to this event was full of surprising challenges, it’s hard to imagine that just two years prior in 2020 both myself and Alex were engineering car parts all day long, barely knew how to turn an oven on, and could not tell you the difference between carbs and protein.
I’m excited to share our experience taking part in the very first UK Keto Festival as well as offering a front row account of the evolution of low carb food festivals having now attended two more events in London and Bristol organised by our friends at keto-festival.co.uk.
For us these events mean having the pleasure of meeting our fans in person, exchanging stories about the challenges of low carb diets as well as celebrating successful progress together. And last but certainly not least, we got to share samples of our delicious snacks to all those looking to try a one of kind cheesy treat.
The First Keto Fest in the UK, 19 March 2022
The inaugural Keto and Low Carb Festival in Bristol was a landmark event for us and for our company. As the sole producers of Pure Cheese Crisps, we were excited to showcase our product to an audience of like-minded individuals.
Knowing this was the first ever event organised in the UK specifically for keto, low carb & diabetic friendly food we just knew we had to attend both personally and as a business.
Early morning we arrived on the outskirts of Bristol, we ourselves struggled a bit finding the right location but once we were able to secure a parking spot we entered the industrial venue where we were surprised by just how many other businesses were already setting up their stalls and preparing their products for display. Until that moment it felt as we were alone, operating in very narrow niche, it was a great feeling to see that we were part of a much wider movement and that there is an ever growing community of low carb food producers.
Still we had no idea if any customers would show up, after all, this was a new type of festival and a rather secluded location. But as the gates opened at 11, there was a massive line of people queuing outside, our worry now was, did we bring enough samples?
I was offering flyers to attendees as they entered and we were pleasantly surprised to see that a significant number of people already knew about Monarchs Crisps and our Pure Cheese Crisps.
To help Alex out we brought Andreea who was happy to offer sample to and answer questions from our customers.
Once the rush hour passed we were finally free to chat with other sellers and try some of their products, one of our favourite part of these keto fests is discovering more low carb treats and we always come back with a car full of goodies.
Keto Festival London, 28 May 2022
Having high expectations from the previous event we headed to our nation’s capital.
The festival was organised on the iconic Brick Lane road and we expected a larger turnout both from local keto businesses that heard about the success of the Bristol festival as well as from Londonites looking to satisfy their low carb cravings.
Both myself and Alex were thrilled to receive an award from Keto Kev, a prominent figure in the low-carb community, advocating for genuine products made using healthy ingredients.
This recognition was a testament to our commitment to producing high-quality, low-carb snacks that people love, and never compromising on the ingredients. We do not add any preservatives, any MSG or any oils, artificial flavours or colourings. Our crisps are literally made using just British Cheddar and organic seasonings.
We were honoured to be recognized alongside other industry leaders and felt a great sense of pride in our product and our team.
Finally, on a personal note, it was great chatting with people and hearing their stories and the pizza made by Alex from Keto Street was just divine making an already amazing day that much better.
Keto Fest Bristol, 19 March 2023
Eager to showcase our new limited edition flavours, Aromatic White Pepper and Strong Vintage Cheddar, we returned to Keto Fest this year and were thrilled to see the positive response from attendees who appreciated the unique and bold flavours of our snacks.
Sharing the stage with Andy from Seriously Low Carb and Shirley @healthyfoodbyshirls was an honour, while Alex and Andrea were on hand to answer questions and engage with fans.
We are happy to report that despite the adversities and uncertainties that we all faced this year, the low carb scene is stronger than ever and the turnout for this event was still exceptional.
As soon as I was able to step away from our stall I headed straight to the DGF stand to talk to Dan and grab whatever cakes I could still find, his blueberry and lemon drizzle is my go to keto cake.
Looking ahead to the future
As we prepare for the next Keto Fest in London on 28 May 2023, we are excited to continue building relationships with our fans and sharing our delicious low-carb snacks with the world. The journey to the Keto and Low Carb Festival in Bristol has been remarkable, and we are grateful for the opportunity to meet so many amazing people along the way.
We look forward to seeing you at the next festival and continuing to create snacks that are healthy, delicious, and loved by all.
But enough of my ramblings, how was your Keto Fest experience?
Did you get a chance to drop by our stall to say hi? What were your favourite finds? Please let us know in the comment section bellow.
P.S.
I have hidden a secret discount code in this article, can you find it?
Yours,
Greg